Improvement in cranberry-separators



D. 'PERHANL Cranberry Separator.

Famed Jan. 19, 1858.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CRANBERRY-SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 19,151, dated January 19, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAviD PERHAM, of Tyngsborough,in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Cranberry-Separator;

and I hereby declare that the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings and references thereon, constitutes a lucid, clear,'and exact description Yof the construction and operation of the same.

In referring to the said drawings, Figure l denotes a plan or top view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, Fig. 3 an end elevation, of it Fig. 4, a lhengiudinal and vertical section on line AB of The nature of my invention consists in my within-described machine,in which the bounding of the cranberries as they fall causes the separation of the good from the bad in the manner hereinafter set forth.

To enable persons skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and carry out the same, I will describe it as follows: l

I construct a frame ot' wood, seen at A in the several gures of the drawings.) To the upper portion I tix a hopper, (seen at B.) The bottom of this hopper is an inclined rack, (seen at C, Figs. l and 4,) the rounds or bars being placed sufficiently near together to prevent the cranberries from dropping through, but allowing the dirt to drop through. An adjustable throat (seen at H) is tted to one side 'of the hopper B, so that it can be raised or lowered at pleasure, to allow the cranberries to pass from the hopper B faster or slower, as may be desired. i

I construct a feed-apron, (seen at D,) which passes around a drive-shaft (seen at E) at its lowest portion, and around a smaller driven shaft or roller, (seen at F,) and which is somewhat elevated above the shaft E, so as to give the top ofthe apron D about the same incline as the bottom C of the hopper or inclined rack, but inclined in an opposite direction, so that the cranberries will first roll down the rack C, then onto and up the apron D. This apron is provided with a number of iiexible partitions or guides, I, fastened to its outer surface at an angle from its axis of motion, as seen in the drawings, or at any desired angle. These partitions or guides are for dropping or distributing the cranberries in a scattering" manner onto the inclined plane J, so that they will not fall on each other and prevent their bounding. Above the apron D, I place a iiexible strich, (seen at G,) which is made adjustable to allow more or less cranberries to pass, as may be desired.

I constructa bounder (seen at L) and cover that portion of it which projects forward of the incline plane J with india-rubber or any equivalent elastic substance, (seen at L2.) This bounder is suspended on pivots G3, which pass through stands S2, fastened to each lower edge of the inclined plane T, on which it swings then into the frame A. This plane can at its upper edge be swung back or forth to impart any desired inclination to it. The bounder L is provided with indexial arms, (seen at M,) which point to the index N, so that by raising or lowering these arms the upper surface, L2, of the bounder L is inclined, as may be desired. The arms M are bended, so that their ends will press against the inside of the frame and hold the bounder L in the desired position by such pressure. A screw is also provided, (seen at K2, Fig.2,) which passes through the side of the frameAand against the bounder L to hold it in any adjusted position.

I construct a divider, (seen at S,) which may be slid up or down, as indicated by the index K3 on the incline plane N?, to give it the deries to bound from the bounder L over the top of this divider S onto the incline plane N2 or flap F2, and then down out of the spout P2, while the poor, blighted, or rotten cranberries, by reason of not having the saine or as much bounding substance in them as the good ones, will fall onto the cushion or non-bounder T below the top ot' the divider S, and consequently will be conducted back down in the direction the red arrow points to the softcushion or incline plane T to the lower apron, O. This apron is somewhat shorter than the upper one, and is inclined alittle less than the upper one. This lowerapron, O, is provided with angular partitions or guides (seen at P) similar to the partitions or guides I on the upper apron, D. This lower apron, O, passes around and is driven by the roll Q, which is turned by band K from the upper apron-roll, E, and also passes around a smaller roll, It, at its elevated or highest point.

I construct an inclined plane (seen at U,

sired height to allow the sound, good cranber- Fig. 4) the upper edge of which is even with the outside of the apron O and roll R. This incline plane U conducts all of the poor cranberries down onto the lower bounder V and` M2, (adjustable by the arms W and index X,) the poorest of which will fall onto 'the back surface of the inclined plane Y and roll or slide down into the drawer D2, while the next best will bound over the divider Z and be conducted or drop into the box or drawer B2 on the forward portion of the inclined plane Y. The bounder V is suspended to the apron U by pivots z', passed through the stands T2, which are secured to theinclined plane U, and thenee'into the frame A. Should there be any good cran,- berries fall onto the lower bounder V, they will bound over the divider A2 and roll down the incline plane O2 out of the spout Q2. This divider A2 is adjustable up and down, as may be desired, in the same manner as the divider S before mentioned.

The double-inclined plane Y is constructed ot' wood, and is so adjusted as to be slid toward or from the bounder V, the divider Z acting as an indicator to indicate on the index l2 the desired position longitudinally of the double-inclined plane Y, while the index J2 at right angles with the one seen at I2 shows the elevation at which the divider Z is or may be raised. The index to the divider Z is formed on its front side, and consists of aseries of lines which show above the top of the doubleincline plane Y, and in that manner indicate the heightof the divider Z, as seen at P'1,Fig.3.

I place a cross-bar across the machine, (seen at G2,) to whichis suspended aljap, (seen at F2,) against which the good cranberries strike at'- ter bounding from' the bounder L2, to prevent bruising them. An inclined cushion or nonbounder, T, is placed just below the upper bounder, L2, to prevent 'jamming any ot' the cranberries which may fall onto it..

One or more central guides, P5, maybe placed on and fastened to the aprons D and O, at right angles with their axis of motion, and they may be placed in the center or any other part of the aprons D or O, as may be desired, to prevent the cranberries from inelining sidewlse.

A crank (seen at U2) is connected to the roller or shaft E, by which it is turned and by which thewholemachineisputinoperation,and may be so kept in motion by any well-known motor, as will be readily understood.

l intend to apply my machine to the clearling ot' grapes or any kind of berries, or of eu-rrants, or to any purpose to which it may be `applied, or to the separating of cranberries. I

ries will fall through between the-slats or barsI of the rack C, and the cranberries will commence to roll or slide down the rack O through the adjustable throat H and onto the apron D, the guides I and P5 on the apron keeping the cranberries separate from each other and carryin g them forward toward the inclined plane J, the flexible strick G preventing the cranberries from passing too fast or in too large quantities. As they reach the outer edge of the apron D they drop down the incline plane J and strike the bounder L and L2. The good or sound ones, bounding the most, will bound forward over the divider S against the flap F2,`

which breaks their force without bruising them, when they will roll down out of the spout P2. The poor or rotten, or partially rotten, cran berries will bound but little when they strike the bounder L and L2. Consequently they will not bound over the divider S, but will fall on the cushion T, then roll or slide back down it in the direction the red arrow points onto the lower apron, O, thence be carried forward and over its upper edge, then down the incline plane U onto the bounder V, when, it there should be any good ones remaining in them, they will bound over the divider A2, then out of the spout Q2, the poorest dropping down on the back plane of the double-inclined plane Y and down into the drawer D2, as the red arrow points, while the best ot the poor ones will bonnd over the divider Z and will drop onto the forward incline plane, and thence down into drawer B2, as the red arrow points. Thus there will be two qualities of the poor cranberries, and it is desirable to have them so divided that the best of them may be again rnnthrough the machine, if desired, which will be readily seen. Thus the bounding ot' the cranberries to divide them is the principle of the operation of my machine, and the construction of it is with a view to dividing the cranberries by bounding, as will be readily seen.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The incline plane J and bounder L and L2, constructed and relatively arranged and operated, as within described, for bounding cranberries to separate the good from the bad, essentially as fully set forth.

2. The relative arrangement of the hopper B, with its adjustable gate H and rack O, in such manner as to properly deliver the cranberries to the apron D and allow dirt and foreign matter to fall from them through this rack during their delivery, essentially in the manner and for the purposes fully set forth.

3. The arrangement of the guides I and P5, constructed with and forming part of the feedapron D, as described, so that the cranberries will not be allowed to fall on each other when delivered to the bounder, essentially in the manner and for the purposes fully set forth.

4. The movable and adjustable flexible strick G, so placed above and relatively arranged with the apron D as to govern the quantity of cranberries on the apron itself `which may be passing over or upon it, essentially in the manner and for the purposes tully set forth.

7. The double adjustable divider Y and Z,

so arranged relatively with the bounder V and Y M2 as to subdivide the poorer quality of oranberries, essentially in the manner and for the purposes fully set forth.

DAVID PERI-IAM.

Witnesses:

E. W. SCOTT, DANIEL PARI-IAM. 

